The Elves’ 12 Days of Christmas Cookies (Day One)
For two years now I’ve made the teeny tiny little elf aprons for the elf and all of his/her holiday shenanigans.
And for two years I’ve become quite attached to them long after they head out my door.
What did the initial stand for? What were their names? Were they nice elves….or the naughty mess making elves?
And of course, I wondered; do they bake?
This year I decided it would be fun to ask several of the elf owners to join me in a Christmas cookie roundup, featuring none other than their elves.
I was pleased as punch when everyone eagerly jumped on board!
We’re calling it: The Elves’ 12 Days of Christmas Cookies.
For the next two weeks some of my most favorite bloggers, bakery & shop owners will pop in and share a favorite recipe from their personal elf.
I’m so stinkin’ excited to see all the elves in their shiny little aprons, and I’m just as excited to add 12 new cookies recipes to my collection and see what those elves have been up to.
So, without further adieu, here to kick off Day One of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies is my elf Ella.
Ella was purchased at the time that I purchased an elf for my niece, who technically was still in the womb.
I was working in Atlanta, Georgia and the authors of the book were doing a book signing at one of the local boutiques. I fell in love with the book and bought a set for my sister and one for myself.
My Ella doesn’t move every night but she does like to come out and strut her stuff occasionally, and we say she’s practicing for the day when there’s more to reprimand than doggies. 🙂
She made some I Heart Christmas Ornament Cookies.
True story, they were simply cut out heart cookies with the baked peppermint inside and the husband said they looked like Valentine’s Day cookies.
And he was sort of correct.
So I added some green ribbon and made them into ornaments.
I like them better as ornaments !
- Basic Shortbread Cookie:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Andes Peppermint Bark
- Store bought cookie icing
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour. Press dough into a greased 9-in. square baking pan.
- Bake at 325° for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Using two cookie cutters in varying sizes, remove the center of the cutout cookie. I used hearts because it was the only cutter I had both small and large of.
- Fill the center hole with the hard candy of choice. I used Andes Peppermint bark- which molds together but doesn’t entirely melt like a hard candy would. Place back into the oven at 350 degrees for another 5 minutes- watching carefully that you don’t burn the shortbread cookie.
- Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Leave plain or frost with icing.
- For the rounded shortbread, use a circular (or scalloped) cutter, allow the cookies to cool, frost with a store bought cookie icing (or make royal icing), top with the same Andes Peppermint candies.
Tomorrow, Toni from Make Bake Celebrate will be here with her elf, Sprinkles!
Each day, I’ll link back the previous recipes so at the end you’ll have all 12 recipes handy for the holidays.
Happy Elfing, er….baking!!!
I’m not sure what’s cuter- the cookies or your elf apron!
Thanks for hosting Aimee! Seriously so much fun – and way too much cuteness to handle!